North Carolina lawmakers approve 12-week abortion ban, with exceptions

May 05, 2023

By Karah Rucker (Reporter/Producer), Stacey Chamberlain (Editor/Digital Producer)

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North Carolina lawmakers voted to approve a 12-week abortion ban on Thursday, May 4, sending the bill to Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper who has vowed to veto the new abortion restrictions. However, the Republican majority of state lawmakers will likely be enough to override any veto.

Current state law bans most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. The new law, which would take effect July 1, reduces the ban to 12 weeks.

The bill also limits exceptions, capping abortions at 20 weeks in cases of rape or incest, and 24 weeks for fetal life-limiting anomalies.

Included in the bill is $160 million dollars worth of funding for maternal health services, adoption care, contraceptive services and paid leave for mothers who work for the state or are teachers.

Republicans describe it as a “pro-life plan,” not an abortion ban. This Republican-led abortion bill is less restrictive than some other GOP states that have banned the procedure almost completely or early on in pregnancy.

Now there will be a showdown between North Carolina‘s governor and body of government over the bill becoming law.

Tags: Abortion, North Carolina, Roy Cooper

KARAH RUCKER: NORTH CAROLINA LAWMAKERS VOTED TO APPROVE A 12-WEEK ABORTION BAN ON THURSDAY – SENDING THE BILL TO DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR ROY COOPER — WHO HAS VOWED TO VETO THE NEW ABORTION RESTRICTIONS IN THE STATE. HOWEVER THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY OF STATE LAWMAKERS WILL LIKELY BE ENOUGH TO OVERRIDE ANY VETO.

CURRENT STATE LAW BANS MOST ABORTIONS AFTER 20 WEEKS OF PREGNANCY.

THE NEW LAW — WHICH WOULD TAKE EFFECT JULY FIRST — REDUCES THE BAN TO 12 WEEKS.

THE BILL ALSO LIMITS EXCEPTIONS – CAPPING ABORTIONS AT 20 WEEKS IN CASES OF RAPE OR INCEST. AND 24 WEEKS FOR FETAL LIFE-LIMITING ANOMALIES.

INCLUDED IN THE BILL IS 160 MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF FUNDING FOR MATERNAL HEALTH SERVICES, ADOPTION CARE, CONTRACEPTIVE SERVICES, AND PAID LEAVE FOR MOTHERS WHO WORK FOR THE STATE OR ARE TEACHERS.

REPUBLICANS DESCRIBING IT AS A “PRO-LIFE PLAN” NOT “AN ABORTION BAN.”

THIS REPUBLICAN-LED ABORTION BILL IS LESS RESTRICTIVE THAN SOME OTHER GOP STATES THAT HAVE BANNED THE PROCEDURE ALMOST COMPLETELY OR EARLY ON IN PREGNANCY. NOW THERE WILL BE A SHOWDOWN BETWEEN NORTH CAROLINA’S GOVERNOR AND BODY OF GOVERNMENT OVER THE BILL BECOMING LAW.